A Trip to the Oasis
by Megapithecanthrope
Summary: Judy is one overworked bunny. So Nick decides to help Judy unwind. Of course, that does not mean he is going to make things easy on her.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Zootopia or any of its characters.

XxXxX

Judy raised one of her paws over her head in an attempt to stretch out her shoulder and regretted it at once. A shooting pain ran all the way across her shoulder and up her neck. "Ouch," she muttered irritably under her breath.

"You alright, Carrots," her partner Nick asked, noting the little grey bunny wince as she rolled her twinging shoulder. He was leaning out of his cubicle which was just across from hers.

"I'm fine," Judy said gruffly, still rolling her tender shoulder and feeling the twinging pain go up the side of her neck.

Nick stood up and walked behind her, placing his paws on Judy's shoulders and giving them a squeeze. Reluctantly, Judy allowed Nick to explore the tender muscles of her shoulders and neck. "Jeese, Carrots! You're carrying more tension in your shoulders than Chief Bogo looks like he's got in his whole body!"

"Ha ha," Judy said sardonically.

"No, I'm serious," Nick went on, apply pressure to knot in Judy's shoulder and making her grit her teeth. "And he looks like he's nothing but stress," Nick added.

Judy gripped the edge of her desk while Nick finished rolling his thumb over the knot in her shoulder, trying to get it to release. "That's just because I'm a cop. Police work is stressful business," Judy said with a grunt.

"Nooo…It's because you don't know how to unwind," Nick said as he began applying pressure to the side of Judy's neck next. "The moment we get back to the station you run straight to your desk and start filling out reports and you don't make them short either. You record every little insignificant detail about the case."

"I'm a cop. What I write could be used in a court of law. I have to be thorough," Judy defended.

"There's being thorough and then there's your reports, Carrots," Nick said. "When was the last time you filled out a report that wasn't more than ten pages long."

"Ha! Yesterday, after we wrote that weasel a ticket on Savannah Central," Judy said smugly.

"Actually that was two days ago, the report was twelve pages and the ticket was for jaywalking," Nick said with a smug smirk of his own.

"Oh," Judy deflated, her face turning a little red.

"My point is," Nick went on as he continuing massaging his thumb up and down the side of Judy's sore neck, "You spend all day in the squad car with your arms locked onto the steering wheel and then come back to the office and spend almost as much time hunched over your computer monitor typing needlessly long reports about the day's events. It's no wonder your shoulders are so tense. You need to unwind!"

"First of all, my reports need to be detailed and thorough, as I pointed out already," Judy said with an air of superiority that made Nick grimace. "And you could do with following my example and adding a bit more detail to yours," she added, making Nick roll his eyes.

"And secondly, I do so know how to unwind!"

"Oh, really," Nick asked skeptically. "And I suppose you think of curling up with a good book in that tiny, cramped apartment of yours counts as relaxing."

Judy flushed but stood her ground. "Well, it's relaxing to me," she said defensively.

Nick shook his head. "I'm talking about really relaxing, Carrots," he said. "Like going to a spa and getting pampered. A tender little bunny like yourself needs some of that attention."

"Don't call me a tender little bunny," Judy glared. "And I grew up on a farm. Hard work is something that I'm used to unlike you pampered, city slicker foxes," she added smugly while Nick rolled his eyes again.

"You're just too soft city boy," Judy concluded in a very self-satisfied way before returning her attention to her unfinished report.

Nick gave Judy a sour look before a devilish idea occurred to him. "You know, Carrots, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were scared of going to a relaxing spa," he said slyly.

"Please," Judy said, rolling her eyes, "why would I be afraid of going to a spa?!"

"Maybe because you think you would like it too much or because you think it'd show your girly side too much," Nick said, leaning against the wall of her cubicle.

Judy paused in her typing as Nick's words washed over her. "I'm not afraid of anything," she said, glaring at him defiantly.

"Fine. Then prove it," Nick said, leaning down so that they were at eye level and smirking his sly, smug smirk into her irritated eyes. "Come with me to one."

"Fine," Judy echoed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Name the time and place and I'll be there."

"Oh, no," Nick said, waggling his finger and making Judy's eyebrows knit together in annoyance. "It'll be a surprise."

"Fine, whatever," Judy said. "Now can I get back to work, please?"

"Sure," Nick said standing up straight but there was something in the way he was smirking that made Judy uneasy. She had not seen that look on his face since she had hustled him into helping her with the Night Howler case and its return did not fill her with confidence.

XxXxX

 _There we go! Hopefully they're not to out-of-character. Can you guess where Nick is taking her?_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Zootopia or it's characters.

XxXxX

Judy glanced at the time on her Furbit. Nick would be here any minute now.

It was with no small amount of anxiety that Judy dressed herself that Saturday. She had woken up early, showered and gotten something healthy for breakfast. Now she sat on the edge of her bed, waiting for Nick to arrive and wondering just where exactly the sly fox was planning to whisk her away to for the day. She had tried repeatedly the whole rest of the week to find out where he intended to take her but the only response she ever got was his smug smile and "You'll just have to wait and see, Carrots."

Truthfully, Judy had no idea what to expect. She knew that any professional masseuse would be…well…professional but that did not stop her imagination form running wild. Judy was a modest bunny. What if someone saw her naked? What if she ran into someone there that she knew from work or worse yet back home? How would she ever live it down?

Judy wished she could write these things off as unlikely but since she had no idea where Nick was taking her she could not. _That dumb fox_ , Judy thought irritably. _What's taking him so long to get here anyway?!_

A sudden knock on the door startled Judy out of her thoughts. "Carrots? It's me! Open up!"

Judy recognized Nick's deep voice from the other side of the door. Swallowing hard, Judy slid from the bed and made her way over to the door. She opened it to find Nick waiting for her on the other side but far from wearing the sly smirk she had last seen him with, his expression was much softer. Almost like the one he had given her under the bridge when they had reconciled.

"Ready to go," Nick asked gently, his voice warm and reassuring.

"S—Sure," Judy replied, only some of her former butterflies returning. This was Nick after all, Judy reasoned. He would not do anything to make her feel too embarrassed…right?

Judy picked up her beach bag with her swimsuit and towel in it and slung it over her shoulder, her mood vacillating back and forth between trepidation and trust.

"Want me to carry your bag," Nick asked.

"No, I've got it," Judy replied, patting the bag. "I appreciate it though," she added and Nick smiled and nodded.

Nick held the door open for Judy, pulling it shut behind her once she was out in the hall. "You have your key, right," he asked, remembering his onetime run in with Judy's crazy landlady and hoping to never have to have that displeasure again.

"Got it right here," Judy replied, patting her pocket and making the key jangle inside.

"Alright, then let's go," Nick said taking the lead as they made their way down the dusty hallway.

"So? Where're we going," Judy asked after a minute as she and Nick climbed down several flights of stairs to the ground floor.

"I already told you, Carrots, you'll see when we get there," Nick said.

Judy huffed. "I don't like all of this suspense," she said, crossing her arms and flattening her ears.

"It'll all be worth it when we get there," Nick assured her. "Trust me."

Judy gave Nick a skeptical look but decided it would be pointless to pursue the subject any farther. "So? How're we getting there exactly," she asked.

"Funny you should ask," Nick said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "You wouldn't happen to have money for a cab would you?"

Judy placed a hand on her hip. "Nick," she said in a tone that showed quite plainly that she was not in a mood for joking.

"Alright, alright, I'm just kidding," he said, throwing up his hands in defense. "Sheesh!"

Judy raised an elegant eyebrow at him. "So?"

Nick sighed. "I borrowed Flash's car," he said, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb to where, sure enough, Flash's hotrod sat parked by the curb.

Judy's eyes widened in shock. "I can't believe he let you borrow his car," she said, her mouth hanging open slightly.

"Yeah, well…he might have owed me a favor," Nick said, rubbing the back of his neck again. "I may or…may not have helped him out of another speeding ticket."

"Nick," Judy said sternly, crossing her arms and tapping her foot on the pavement. "We're cops! We can't just go around doing our friends favors all of the time! We have to uphold the law!"

"I know, I know, it was just this one time I promise," Nick said, clasping his hands together in front of him in a capitulatory fashion.

Judy sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine, just so long as it doesn't happen again."

"Cross my heart," Nick said, holding his hand up in the Junior Rangers salute.

Sighing again, Judy allowed Nick to lead her over to Flash's car. He opened the door for her, and she quickly hopped inside and stowing her bag on the floor at her feet. Nick dashed around the car, climbing into the driver's seat himself and pulling on his seat belt. "Safety first," he said, giving Judy a wink when she gave him a look. Judy sighed and rolled her eyes yet again.

All in all, it was a relatively peaceful drive to wherever Nick was taking her, Judy decided. They chatted idly about work and what was happening back home with Judy's family. Then Judy talked excitedly about an upcoming Gazelle concert she absolutely had to attend, hinting none to subtly her desire for Nick to secure them tickets.

In fact, Judy was so caught up in what she was talking about that she did not notice they had arrived at their destination until Nick brought the car to a stop and announced, "We're here."

Judy immediately felt there was something familiar about the unkempt street they had parked on but it was not until she had stepped out of the car that she realized exactly why. A large sign overhead read _Mystic Springs Oasis_ in giant letters.

Judy's jaw nearly hit the ground she turned to Nick in wild-eyed disbelief. He could not seriously think he was taking her in there did he?

"Well," Nick said holding open the door. Apparently he did.

"Nick, have you lost your mind," Judy said, her voice an octave or two higher than normal. "I am not going in there!"

"Why not," he asked with that smug smirk on his face that Judy was quickly coming to absolutely hate. "It's not like it's that big of a deal."

"If you think for one minute that I am walking around in there naked—" she began but Nick quickly cut her off.

"You're a first timer so they won't mind if you wear a towel or something," Nick said. "Besides I thought you said you weren't scared of anything," he teased.

"I'm not scared," Judy said, her face turning red. "It's just…just…indecent," she finished with a huff.

"Come on, Carrots. Just give it a try," Nick said, extending his hand to her.

Judy hesitated, glancing between Nick's face and the sign overhead. Nick could see her struggling with herself. This was definitely something she had never been exposed to in Bunnyburrow.

Finally, Judy raised her paw and placed it in Nick's and allowed herself to be led inside. Yax the Yak was seated behind the counter much as he had been the first time they had ever visited. Judy looked back on the experience much more fondly than she expected to as she gazed up at the old, fly covered yak as he chanted his mantra.

Nick had not let go of her paw, Judy noticed and she was grateful. She tightened her grip and felt him give her a reassuring squeeze in response. Judy glanced up at him and Nick gave her a wink.

Nick cleared his throat loudly when it became apparent that Yax was not going to notice their arrival. The startled yak shook his head, sending a flurry of flies into the air around his head like a disgusting halo. Judy grimaced.

"Oh, hey," Yax said immediately upon recognizing them. "If it isn't the bunny cop and her fox friend! Hey, you know I saw you dudes on the news a few months ago," he said, referring to the news articles about the Night Howler incident. "You guys are famous!"

"Oh, well, it wasn't that big of a deal," Judy said with feigned modesty and waving her paw dismissively though Nick could see her ego swelling slightly all the same.

Nick rolled his eyes though he could not keep a small from his face as he dug his paw into his pocket. "I booked us a couple hours with Nangi and some time at the pleasure pool," he said pulling out the receipt for his reservation.

"Sure, sure," Yax said taking the receipt without even looking at it. "The changing rooms around just around the corner."

"Thanks," Nick said, giving Judy's hand a little tug to get her going.

"N—Nick," Judy hissed just a soon as they were out of earshot of the yak, "I—I don't know if I can do this!"

"Relax," Nick reassured her. "Like I said: just wear a towel. It's your first time so the other animals won't be too offended by it."

"I'll see you when you're done," Nick said as they stopped outside the women's changing room.

"R—Right," Judy said and she watched him walk around the corner and out of sight.

Judy turned to face the women's changing room. Drawing a deep breath, Judy tightened her grip on the strap of her bag and marched determinedly forward.


End file.
